Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Materials Science
Shark jelly is strong proton conductor
A jelly found in sharks and skates, which helps them sense electric fields, is a strong proton conductor.
- Health & Medicine
Tight spaces cause spreading cancer cells to divide improperly
Researchers are using rolled-up transparent nanomembranes to mimic tiny blood vessels and study how cancer cells divide in these tight spaces.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum fragility may help birds navigate
Birds’ internal compasses may rely on the delicate nature of the quantum world.
- Particle Physics
Hints of new particle rumored to fade, but data analysis continues
It’s still too early to know whether hints of a new particle are real, CERN scientists say.
- Physics
More events needed to pin down gravitational waves backstory
As more black hole collisions are found, researchers hope to piece together how and where these destructive duos form.
- Physics
Second gravitational wave signal detected
LIGO has spotted a second set of ripples in the fabric of spacetime.
- Astronomy
Space-based probe passes tests for gravitational wave detection
The LISA Pathfinder mission has demonstrated that future observatories in space could detect gravitational waves.
- Astronomy
Space-based probe passes tests for gravitational wave detection
The LISA Pathfinder mission has demonstrated that future observatories in space could detect gravitational waves.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum weirdness survives space travel
Quantum weirdness travels from Earth to space and back again.
- Materials Science
Butterfly-inspired nanostructures can sort light
Scientists re-created a nanostructure found on butterflies that can separate out circularly polarized light, a characteristic that may be useful for telecommunications.
- Quantum Physics
Schrödinger’s cat now dead and alive in two boxes at once
The living-dead feline has been split in two, using a system of microwaves inside superconducting cavities.
- Physics
The center of Earth is younger than the outer surface
Einstein’s general theory of relativity predicts the center of the Earth is two years younger than the crust.
